Welcome

For me Kuchipudi is a perfect combination of spritely lyricism, intricate rhythmic patterns and consummate acting (abhinaya) which lends to its appeal as it adheres to the precepts laid down in the Natya Shastra.

My foray into Kuchipudi, after Bharatanatyam, Kathakali and Martial Arts has given me the opportunity to play and enjoy the new works and experimentations that happens along the way.

As we stand on the shoulders of many great gurus who handed down this legacy, we in turn hope to enrich it, while it enriches us, and pass it on to new generations of aspirants and audiences.

The intense and rewarding experience of performing; the special joy of nurturing new and young talents; the motivation from audiences the world over; the inspiration from life itself – continues to make it a wholesome and fulfilling journey.

The world of dance creates a Kairos space for me where time is non-sequential and qualitative in nature – offering me the sanctuary, fantasy and peace, I so treasure. It has also allowed me the curiosity, the creativity and, I dare say, the cheekiness with which I view life today.

When I am dancing, I feel at peace…. like everything is working perfectly for me and through me…

- Shantha Ratii

UPCOMING EVENTS

We look forward to you being a part of the world premiere of ” Navodaya – Brink of Hope” in Singapore.
This is an attempt to engage you, the discerning audience, on environmental degradation and how together we could effect change.
Your presence and support towards this cause would make a difference.

Synopsis
In a story about salvation and dharma (duty), a prophecy of death sets in motion a king’s vicious plot to kill his nephew, the infant god Krishna. He orders Poothana, a rakshasi (demoness) to carry out the task, who then assumes the form of a beautiful woman. As Poothana holds the divine child in her arms, she is quickly overwhelmed by maternal love and instinct, and is soon torn between her duty and emotions. Choosing the former, she attempts to poison Krishna as planned but dies instead when he consumes her life force.

A kathakali dance classic, the mythological tale of Poothana who met a fatal yet liberating end, has been told for centuries across various art forms. Singapore dancer-choreographer Shantha Ratii gives this dance a modern touch by combining its theatrical splendour with the graceful fluidity of kuchipudi, the regal geometry of bharatanatyam and English narration. A solo dance performance accompanied by live music, Moksha Katha – Poothana’s Liberation is a rare opportunity for audiences to enjoy the beauty of three diverse dance forms.

“Moksha Katha” – a one-of-a-kind dance confluence, stringing together the theatrical splendour of Kathakali, the ebullience of Kuchipudi and the regal geometry of Bharatanatyam with theatre. The central theme, drawn from the annals of Hindu mythology, is based on the concept of Dharma or duty in the “path of righteousness” and questions how, in our daily human existence, we comprehend its significance. Here, a female demon is decreed by the king to kill the divine baby Krishna. So she assumes the form of a beautiful woman but soon becomes conflicted between her motherly instincts as a “woman” and her mission at hand; between emotion and duty.

Moksha Katha seeks to demystify traditon for a new and larger audience while retaining the sense of awe and wonder of the story without compromising on artistic integrity.